Oceanic primary production plays an important role in buffering atmospheric CO2. A significant portion of global primary production takes places in the surface water of the Equatorial Pacific. This project will be a component of the JGOFS Equatorial Pacific Experiment. Nutrient levels, distribution of particulate nitrogen and rates of 15N-nitrogen assimilation will be measured to determine: 1) How much "new production" occurs in the central Equatorial Pacific?. 2) What controls the level of new production?. 3) Does some new production accumulate as particulate nitrogen?, and 4) Is some new production converted to dissolved organic nitrogen?.//
